Troubleshooting startup problems
There are many sources of problems that could give you Startup troubles. These include (but are not limited to): defective, incompatible, or incorrectly configured hardware, incompatible (software) device drivers, or a recently installed program.
► Problem: Your screen remains blank when you switch on the PC. Cause: That you are not able to even get the BIOS POST screen indicates a problem with basic hardware.
Solution: Look at the other sections in this guide. Work through the PSU, video card, and motherboard troubleshooting sections before checking the other components.
► Problem: After the POST screen, the system hangs.Cause: Again, more hardware related problems. This time theculprit could be the video card.
Solution: Work through the video card troubleshooting section before checking the other components.
► Problem: Your XP computer stops responding at startup.Cause 1: A device driver or a recently installed software or serviceis stopping Windows from booting up normally. There has been acorruption in the Windows registry.
Solution 1a: Restart the computer and log into XP in Safe Mode. Open Device Manager and look for any problematic devices. Ensure that any jumper settings on the hardware are properly set. If the hardware is properly configured and you are still facing the problem, then it may mean that the device driver for the hardware needs to be updated. Remove the device through Device Manager and reboot normally. Obtain the updated device drivers for the hardware (through the Internet, a CD, etc.). Run the Add Hardware Wizard and reinstall the device drivers.
Solution 1b: Reboot the computer in Safe Mode. If the problem is not related to hardware, or you don’t see any problematic devices in Device Manager, run the System Restore utility to roll back the computer to a previous time when you know it was working normally.
Solution 1c: If System Restore doesn’t get your computer to start normally, get to the Windows Advanced Options menu and select “Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)”. Windows XP will start the computer using the Registry information from the last shutdown.
Solution 1d: If the Last Known Good Configuration does not work, then your final course of action is to do an in-place upgrade. Run the Windows XP Setup program from your installation CD. Refer to the Upgrading Windows XP from Windows 98 section of this guide. The steps are similar.
Solution 1e: If you suspect that a recently installed system service is causing this problem, stop the service by following the steps outlined earlier.
Cause 2: The BIOS settings are incorrect.
Solution 2: Restart the computer and enter the BIOS setup screen. If you have changed any settings, restore them to the previous values. If you are not sure about the previous values or haven’t changed the settings, select the Load Fail-safe Defaults (this could also be “Factory Defaults”, “BIOS Setup Defaults”, etc.) option and reboot.
Cause 3: There might be a hard disk failure or data corruption in the boot records
Solution 3: Insert the Windows XP installation CD and restart the computer. On the “Welcome to Setup” screen, press [R] to start the Recovery Console. You will be prompted for the administrator password. Type in the password, or if the password is blank, hit [Enter]. At the command prompt, type in “chkdsk”. This will run the Checkdisk utility that will scan the hard disk for any faults. Checkdisk may report a hardware failure or errors on your disk. If it does, it is best to take your PC to a repair professional.
► Problem: You receive an error message when Windows XP starts. Cause: A recently installed file or service or software program is incompatible with Windows XP and is preventing it from starting. Look carefully at the error message. If a file or service name is referred to in the error message, then you can troubleshoot by either clean booting or by stopping the service.
Solution 1a: To perform a clean boot in Windows XP, use the following steps:
1. Start the system configuration tool by going to Start > Run, typing in “msconfig”, and pressing [Enter]
2. Click Selective Startup and clear the following checkboxes: “Process System.ini File”, “Process Win.ini File”, and “Load Startup Items”.
3. Select the Services tab and click the “Hide All Microsoft Services” checkbox, and then select “Disable All”.
4. Click OK and then “Restart” to restart your system.
5.When Windows restarts, if the error doesn’t occur, re-open “msconfig” and check the “Process System.ini File” checkbox, click OK and restart your computer. If the error returns, you know that the problem is with one of the System.ini entries. If the error doesn’t occur, progressively enable the remaining checkboxes (“Process Win.ini File”, “Load Startup Items”, and “Load System Services”). Restart the computer after you enable each checkbox till the error occurs again. 6. Once you have identified the area in which the error occurs, disable the entry or stop/disable the service as the case may be.
Solution 1b: If you are unable to perform a clean boot to trou-bleshoot the problem and you know the name of the service, then start the Recovery Console as explained earlier. From the command prompt, change to the System32 folder. Type in “listsvc” at the command prompt in the System32 folder. A list of all services on your computer will be displayed. Locate the service name that is causing the error. Type “disable” and press [Enter].
The computer will print a message listing the “start type” that is being shut down. Note it down in case you need to re-enable the service. Type “exit” and allow the computer to restart normally.
Solution 1c: If you recently installed a program that is causing this error, remove the program. If the program is not listed in the Add/Remove list, you’ll have to visit the developer’s Web site for instructions on how to remove the program.
► Problem: After an upgrade, programs that loaded during start up do not start.
Cause: This symptom is noticed when you log in for the first time after upgrading from Windows 98 or ME. Windows XP will remove all programs from the startup list, which it ‘feels’ are not compatible.
Solution: Click Start > Run, type in “msconfig” and press [Enter]. Click the Startup tab. Select the “Restore Startup Programs” option and click OK. Restart the computer. (This option won’t be available if Windows XP Setup did not disable any startup programs.)
► Problem: Your screen remains blank when you switch on the PC. Cause: That you are not able to even get the BIOS POST screen indicates a problem with basic hardware.
Solution: Look at the other sections in this guide. Work through the PSU, video card, and motherboard troubleshooting sections before checking the other components.
► Problem: After the POST screen, the system hangs.Cause: Again, more hardware related problems. This time theculprit could be the video card.
Solution: Work through the video card troubleshooting section before checking the other components.
► Problem: Your XP computer stops responding at startup.Cause 1: A device driver or a recently installed software or serviceis stopping Windows from booting up normally. There has been acorruption in the Windows registry.
Solution 1a: Restart the computer and log into XP in Safe Mode. Open Device Manager and look for any problematic devices. Ensure that any jumper settings on the hardware are properly set. If the hardware is properly configured and you are still facing the problem, then it may mean that the device driver for the hardware needs to be updated. Remove the device through Device Manager and reboot normally. Obtain the updated device drivers for the hardware (through the Internet, a CD, etc.). Run the Add Hardware Wizard and reinstall the device drivers.
Solution 1b: Reboot the computer in Safe Mode. If the problem is not related to hardware, or you don’t see any problematic devices in Device Manager, run the System Restore utility to roll back the computer to a previous time when you know it was working normally.
Solution 1c: If System Restore doesn’t get your computer to start normally, get to the Windows Advanced Options menu and select “Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)”. Windows XP will start the computer using the Registry information from the last shutdown.
Solution 1d: If the Last Known Good Configuration does not work, then your final course of action is to do an in-place upgrade. Run the Windows XP Setup program from your installation CD. Refer to the Upgrading Windows XP from Windows 98 section of this guide. The steps are similar.
Solution 1e: If you suspect that a recently installed system service is causing this problem, stop the service by following the steps outlined earlier.
Cause 2: The BIOS settings are incorrect.
Solution 2: Restart the computer and enter the BIOS setup screen. If you have changed any settings, restore them to the previous values. If you are not sure about the previous values or haven’t changed the settings, select the Load Fail-safe Defaults (this could also be “Factory Defaults”, “BIOS Setup Defaults”, etc.) option and reboot.
Cause 3: There might be a hard disk failure or data corruption in the boot records
Solution 3: Insert the Windows XP installation CD and restart the computer. On the “Welcome to Setup” screen, press [R] to start the Recovery Console. You will be prompted for the administrator password. Type in the password, or if the password is blank, hit [Enter]. At the command prompt, type in “chkdsk”. This will run the Checkdisk utility that will scan the hard disk for any faults. Checkdisk may report a hardware failure or errors on your disk. If it does, it is best to take your PC to a repair professional.
► Problem: You receive an error message when Windows XP starts. Cause: A recently installed file or service or software program is incompatible with Windows XP and is preventing it from starting. Look carefully at the error message. If a file or service name is referred to in the error message, then you can troubleshoot by either clean booting or by stopping the service.
Solution 1a: To perform a clean boot in Windows XP, use the following steps:
1. Start the system configuration tool by going to Start > Run, typing in “msconfig”, and pressing [Enter]
2. Click Selective Startup and clear the following checkboxes: “Process System.ini File”, “Process Win.ini File”, and “Load Startup Items”.
3. Select the Services tab and click the “Hide All Microsoft Services” checkbox, and then select “Disable All”.
4. Click OK and then “Restart” to restart your system.
5.When Windows restarts, if the error doesn’t occur, re-open “msconfig” and check the “Process System.ini File” checkbox, click OK and restart your computer. If the error returns, you know that the problem is with one of the System.ini entries. If the error doesn’t occur, progressively enable the remaining checkboxes (“Process Win.ini File”, “Load Startup Items”, and “Load System Services”). Restart the computer after you enable each checkbox till the error occurs again. 6. Once you have identified the area in which the error occurs, disable the entry or stop/disable the service as the case may be.
Solution 1b: If you are unable to perform a clean boot to trou-bleshoot the problem and you know the name of the service, then start the Recovery Console as explained earlier. From the command prompt, change to the System32 folder. Type in “listsvc” at the command prompt in the System32 folder. A list of all services on your computer will be displayed. Locate the service name that is causing the error. Type “disable
The computer will print a message listing the “start type” that is being shut down. Note it down in case you need to re-enable the service. Type “exit” and allow the computer to restart normally.
Solution 1c: If you recently installed a program that is causing this error, remove the program. If the program is not listed in the Add/Remove list, you’ll have to visit the developer’s Web site for instructions on how to remove the program.
► Problem: After an upgrade, programs that loaded during start up do not start.
Cause: This symptom is noticed when you log in for the first time after upgrading from Windows 98 or ME. Windows XP will remove all programs from the startup list, which it ‘feels’ are not compatible.
Solution: Click Start > Run, type in “msconfig” and press [Enter]. Click the Startup tab. Select the “Restore Startup Programs” option and click OK. Restart the computer. (This option won’t be available if Windows XP Setup did not disable any startup programs.)
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